Leon de Smet – Artwork and Bio of the Belgian Artist

Leon de Smet was a Belgian painter born on 20 July 1881 in Ghent, Belgium. Leon had early exposure to art as his father owned a firm of decorators. This exposure had an equal effect on his brother, Gustave de Smet. Leon and his brother enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent in 1893, and they both went on to become accomplished painters. Asides the Academy, Leon also studied with Jules van Biesbroeck and Jean Devlin

In 1901, Leon held his first set of exhibitions in Antwerp and Ghent. A couple of years later, he exhibited at the Flemish capital city, Brussels, and started to rise to prominence. Leon’s artworks were famous locally and internationally, and he participated in many international expositions.

Due to WWI, Leon relocated to London with his family in 1914 and settled in Tavistock square. In London, he made acquaintances with fellow painters such as Emile Claus, George Bernard Shaw, and Joseph Conrad. Leon was actively painting and exhibiting at the Royal Academy and the Leicester Galleries. In 1966, he was honored as Commander of the Order of Leopold II. Leon died in Deurle, Belgium, on 9 September 1966.

What was Leon de Smet Known For?

Leon de Smet was known for his colorful still-lifes and brilliant draftsmanship in his landscapes and portraits. Leon employed unconventional techniques in painting still-lifes. He painted with a montage of colors, using brush strokes and tones peculiar to Neo-Impressionist painters. His paintings of landscapes and portraits showed the use of vivid colors and light brushstrokes.

Who was Leon de Smet Influenced By?

Leon de Smet was influenced by Neo-Impressionist painters such as Georges-Pierre Seurat and van Rysselberghe. Leon used the techniques of these artists in creating his famous still-life paintings. The tonality and brush strokes employed in his landscape paintings show the influence of French Impressionists Henri Le Sidaner and Henri Martin.

What Art Movement is Leon de Smet Associated With?

Leon de Smet is associated with Impressionism and Pointillism art movements.

Leon de Smet Artwork

Leon de Smet’s artworks hang in museums and private collections in Tokyo, Brussels, Ostend, Bruges, and Antwerp. Below are some of them:

 

Claire in a Summer Dress in Front of the Mirror

 

De Brief (The Letter)

 

From Opschick

 

Girl Wearing a Hat

 

Interior

 

Lady With Fan

 

Little Girl At The Table

 

Louise

 

Madame Maria De Smet and her Son Marcel

 

Portrait of a Woman

 

Portrait of Paule Vezelay

 

Portrait of the Artist’s Wife

 

Princess Astrid of Sweden

 

Read or the Two Girls

 

Rose Harmony

 

The Bathing Ladies

 

The Red Table

 

Two Children in an Interior

 

Unknown Title

 

White Harmony

 

Woman at the Mirror

 

Woman at the Window

 

Woman on the Terrace (Mrs De Smet)

 

Woman Seated in an Interior

 

Woman with Scarf

 

Young woman in an Interior